


Healing happens in its own Time

by Icefire149



Category: South Park
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, M/M, you will get the gist but you can decide for yourself where the characters go from there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 10:06:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12209046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icefire149/pseuds/Icefire149
Summary: Kenny was in Denver to visit his friend, Tweek, who was in his last year of college. For some reason Tweek thought Kenny's suggestion of going drinking at the nearby bar was a good idea. This was how Tweek ended up alone and drunk at 2am when the bar was closing down for the night. Even drunk there was only one phone number he knew by heart, and someone had to come get him.





	Healing happens in its own Time

Kenny was in Denver to visit his friend, Tweek, who was in his last year of college. For some reason Tweek thought Kenny's suggestion of going drinking at the nearby bar was a good idea. This was how Tweek ended up alone and drunk at 2am when the bar was closing down for the night. 

///

Tweek couldn't really move. He tried standing a few minutes ago, but he ended up on the floor. He wasn’t sure why but the view of the ceiling and lights from that angle seemed familiar. Like a pulse his head throbbed in pain. 

The bartender took mercy on the tiny blond and got him back on the barstool. "You really need to call someone to come get you, now," he said circling around the bar table. He was wiping it down for the night. 

Tweek wasn't really listening. He had his head laying on the table now. He was humming a song to himself. 

The bartender was used to every kind of drunk, but the thought of tossing this kid onto the street was making him feel bad. He seemed too young to be here. "Child please,” he begged.

Tweek sat straight up. "I am no child."

The bartender sighed. "I know. I looked at your ID three times."

A triumphant grin spread across the blonde’s face. 

"Please give me a number. Any phone number so someone can get you. I need to close up."

Even though Tweek was sitting still, the room was moving. Normally something like that would have panicked him, but right now it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. 

Somehow the bartender's words sunk into Tweek’s head. He gave the older man a number. The only phone number he knew by heart. 

Tweek put his head on the table again. His mind felt fuzzy, but he tried focusing on the bartender's words as he spoke on the phone. Is it normal for my head and my chest to be throbbing so hard in unison, he wondered.

"Hello, do you know a kid named Tweek Tweak?"

There was a pause.

"Can you come down to the bar on Main Street and get him?"

There was another pause.

"Yup that's the one. Thank you."

At this point Tweek's eyes had shut. He felt like sleeping forever. Maybe when he awoke his legs would hold him up again. Maybe this all will have been a dream.

"Tweek," the bartender spoke, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. He gave it a light shake.

His eyes shot open and he sat up straight. The room was still moving. 

"Your friend is coming to get you. He said he would be here soon."

"My frwend?" Tweek laughed.

////

It didn't take Craig very long to throw on pants and a sweatshirt, and to get his ass into his car. He sat there in his car for a moment. His chest felt painfully tight. 

Three years. It has been three long years since he saw Tweek. The last moment they had was seared into his mind: 

"Get the fuck away from me." Tweek's voice was like ice. Tears were streaming down his face. His eyes were so red and puffy.  
"I'm so sorry, Tweek. Please listen to me."  
"No." Tweek slammed the door in Craig's face. "We're over. I don't want to see you ever again." Craig could hear him from the other side of the door. 

The next thing Craig remembered was loud, ugly sobbing. He still didn’t know if it was his own or Tweek's. Maybe both.

/////

In minutes Craig was parked in front of the bar. It looked dark, like it was locked up for the night. He felt panicked getting out of the car. The door to the bar opened to his touch. He found the lights low and a bartender standing over a figure slumped at the bar. 

"Theeere he iiis," Tweek slurred. He shot up and almost fell over. 

Craig lunged to catch him. He did, and didn't let go. His heart was pounding in his chest. 

"Thank you and drive safely," the bartender said shooing them out.

Craig nodded. His gaze then went to look at the blond in his arms.

Tweek's gaze was locked onto Craig's face. He reached a hand up and stroked his cheek. "The maaaan that broke mee," he bellowed. 

Tweek’s words cut him. But you left me, the words played on Craig’s tongue.

"Let's go," Craig forced out. 

Somehow Craig managed to get the blond in his car and back to his apartment without any issues. Tweek was quiet for the most part. Just hummed a tune to himself.

Luckily for Craig, he didn't have Clyde’s prying eyes to worry about. Dumbass wasn't home. Craig had no idea what to do with Tweek. The blond couldn't walk on his own. 

Craig eventually decided on picking him up. Tweek didn't complain once. He only smiled. He ended up plopping Tweek down on his bed. He pulled the boy's socks and sneakers off and told him to relax. Craig pulled a bottle of water out of the mini fridge next to his bed. "Drink this," he said putting it in Tweek's hand. 

Tweek didn't drink it. He kept smiling at Craig. 

Craig sighed and sat in the chair near his desk. He stared puzzled at Tweek. The whole time he knew him, Tweek never got drunk. His chest ached not wanting to know all the ways Tweek has moved on and changed. 

"At least you're a happy drunk," he finally said, silently happy there wasn’t another argument between them.

Tweek finally unscrewed the bottle cap. "Only cuz you're heree," he said, taking a sip of water. 

Craig sunk his front teeth deep into his bottom lip. He wanted to tear his eyes away from the blond, but he couldn’t.

“You wanna know something,” Tweek said. 

He started falling over on the bed. Craig shot up to take the open water bottle out of his hand. He managed to snag it before any spilled. 

Tweek giggled and wrapped his fingers around Craig’s wrist. “It’s pretty im….impresssssssssive.”

“What is?”

“That I remembered your number.”

“Very,” Craig agreed. He put the water bottle down on top of the mini fridge. 

Tweek had yet to let go of Craig’s wrist. Craig wasn’t sure what to do now. The only thought he had was that he should get Tweek to sleep off some of the drunkenness. Craig’s stomach twisted in knots at the thought of what morning will bring. 

With his free hand, Craig pulled the elastic out of Tweek’s hair and then he ran his hand through it. Partially because he knew Tweek hated sleeping with his hair still in a ponytail and partially to indulge himself. He missed Tweek. 

“I should remember,” Tweek whispered now. His grip on Craig’s wrist tightened for a moment. “I stare at it every day. How fucked up is that?”

Craig froze. His lungs even forgot to breathe. 

Tweek meanwhile released Craig’s wrist. He then turned over in the bed and wrapped the blanket around himself. 

Craig managed to take a step back. He needed air, but he couldn’t get his feet to move another inch. 

Tweek turned again in the bed, he was facing Craig now. His eyes were squeezed shut. Tweek took a deep breath in. He couldn’t help but smile when he exhaled. “My bed-” he mumbled.

Craig’s leaned in just a bit, hoping to catch the rest of Tweek’s sentence.

“It used to smell like this. Now….it’s alwaysss cold,” he continued into a yawn. “And lonely.”

Craig couldn’t handle another moment in that room. He felt like he was going to suffocate. Quickly he exited the room, turning the light off before he shut the door. 

He spent a long time sitting on his apartment’s doorstep, taking deep breaths of the cold night air. Craig needed his heartrate to calm. He felt like his chest was going to explode. 

Eventually he came back inside and briefly checked on Tweek. From what he could tell, Tweek seemed to be asleep. Craig knew that he should get closer to make sure, but he didn’t have it in him to get close. What if Tweek said something else? What if he did something stupid?

Craig ended up sitting in the dark at the kitchen table. He could kind of see the clock on the wall. Hours had gone by and it was early morning. His heart wasn’t calming down. It was like he was being torn up from the inside out. Craig needed help. 

/////

On the third try Token finally answered the phone. “Craig,” he growled. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Not a clue.”

Craig could feel Token’s glare over the phone. “Token, I’m sorry.” His voice cracked.

“What?” there was an urgency in Token’s voice now. “You don’t apologize. What happened? Are you okay?”

“I…I don’t know,” Craig mumbled. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “Hold on.” He put Token on speaker and buried his face in his hands. “God…you will not believe my night.”

“I’m all ears dude.”

“I was sleeping until I got a call from the bar down town.”

“Jesus,” Token responded. “Did Clyde get his keys taken away?”

“Fuck Clyde,” Craig snapped. “I don’t know where he is right now. Out screwing some chick probably. Passed out in his bedroom. I don’t care.”

“Who else would call?”

Craig was silent for a few heartbeats. He couldn’t remember the last time he said the blonde’s name out loud. He had locked it away from his vocabulary. It simply hurt too much. 

“You still there?” Token yawned.

“It was Tweek.”

After a short pause, the only thing Token could say was, “Fuck.”

“….yeah.”

“Do you need me to come over? I can be there in a half hour.”

“No,” Craig responded immediately. 

“Well if you change your mind, say the word.”

“Thanks,” Craig said sincerely. 

“What happened next?” Token asked eagerly. “What did he say?”

“Well it was the bartender that called me. Apparently my number was the only one Tweek knew.”

“Daaaaaaamn.”

“Dude, Tweek is so drunk.”

There was a pause “You brought him home, didn’t you?”

“Well what else was I supposed to do? Tell the guy to throw him out on the streets.”

“Well he did smash the tiny thing in your chest called a heart.”

Craig’s body began betraying him. Tears were pooling in his eyes. His voice cracked, “I broke him first.”

“Craig,” Token said calmly. “I wasn’t trying to upset you. I’m sor-“

He couldn’t keep it in anymore. He started sobbing. 

Token didn’t say anything. He thought it was best to let Craig get it all out. 

Finally Craig managed to speak. “What did I even do? What happened? One day everything was perfect. I was happy.” He choked back another sob. “Fuck….I was happy. I…I can’t remember what happy feels like.”

“Take deep breaths dude. In and out, Craig. In and out,” Token’s voice was calm. He wished he knew how to help his friend but there are some things that he can’t fix. “I’m so sorry this is still hurting you.”

“Everyone assumed I would have bounced back so quick. It’s what everyone does, right? Assholes.” Craig wiped the tears from his eyes on his shirt for a moment. “I was so happy,” his voice was a whisper. “And I didn’t fix it when it broke.”

“Dude,” Token finally spoke. “I don’t completely know what happened but I remembered you frantically trying to call him. You tried. He-”

“You wanna know what happened!” Craig snapped.

“Dude,” said Token. “Quiet. What if you wake him?”

“He’s drunk! He’s dead to the world.” A heartbeat later, Craig dove into the painful memory. “I woke up that morning half naked on the floor of some kid’s dorm room. I felt like I was dying. I was alone. My head felt like it was going to pop, and I couldn’t remember a single thing. I was scared. And the first thing I did was call him on the walk back to my room. Do you know what he said?”

“I…I don’t recall,” said Token. His voice broke for a second.

“Well I will never forget!” Craig was hysterical now. “He told me to fuck off and he hung up on me. I threw up all over the sidewalk. I still don’t know if it was the hangover or the migraine or Tweek, but I destroyed that sidewalk.”

Craig paused for a moment. 

Token was at a loss for words. He had no idea how much Craig was still torn up about Tweek. After three years, Token thought he must have moved on. He felt like he had failed Craig as a friend.

“I walked straight across this god forsaken city to his college. I had to see him. I had to know. I ended up being screamed at and had a door slammed in my face. It wasn’t until later that day I got a call from fucking Kenny! He had to chew me out for being such a fucking dirty whore.”

“Jesus Craig.”

“On the worst day of my fucking life I had to find out from Kenny McCormick that someone at the party. Some fucking bitch we know thought it was great to txt Tweek a picture of his wasted whore of a boyfriend making out with some chick!”

“Christ dude, is that why you quit drinking.”

“Yeah.”

For a few minutes both boys were silent. Craig’s breathing started to slow a bit. His shirt was soaked from trying to dry his face.

Finally Token spoke. “Craig…I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am, but dude….why did you keep all this in? This is a lot more than what you told Clyde and I. Why would you keep this all in, eating you alive? You made everything seem so final. We could have helped you.”

Craig gave a painful laugh. “Help? How?”

“To get Tweek back.”

“Dude,” began Craig. Tears were filling his eyes again. “He said he never wanted to see me again. He wouldn’t return my calls. He avoided you and Clyde. He didn’t take your calls either.”

“Craig, listen to me.”

“I’m listening.”

“Seriously dude,” said Token. “You have an opportunity now. Talk to him.”

“He’s going to wake up and run out of my life again. That’s all what’s going to happen.”

“Token-“

“Oh come on. Tweek isn’t stupid. Talk to him. He’s had plenty of time to cool down. He will listen this time.”

Craig opened his mouth to speak, but a crashing sound in the other room caught his attention. “I got to go,” Craig mumbled as he ended the call. 

He hesitated at his bedroom door for a moment. His heart started racing again. He must have heard me. Tentatively, he opened the door. Craig didn’t see Tweek at first, but a heartbeat later he figured the blond had to be the shaking lump under the blanket in the middle of the bed. 

Trying to compose himself, Craig took a deep breath. He stepped into the room and noticed a pile of books near the doorway was knocked over. He closed the door behind himself. Token was right. This was his moment. “Tweek?” his voice squeaked.

The shaking lump froze.

Slowly Craig walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. “The guy that runs the bar on Main Street called me last night. It was the number you gave him. I didn’t want you thinking I kidnapped you or something,” Craig mumbled. His eyes were glued to the floor. He ran a hand through his hair.

“Thank you.”

Craig just barely made out the squeak from under the blanket. “Why were you out getting trashed?”

“I wasn’t alone. Kenny was with me.”

“Not when I got there,” Craig retorted. He turned to look at Tweek, who was still a blanket lump.

A moment longer and Craig thought he would burst into tears again. He didn’t want to fight with Tweek.

“He must have ditched me for a girl too.”

“Tweek,” Craig said sharply. His emotions were all over the place. He ripped the blanket off of the blond.

Tweek sat up and stared back at Craig. His face and shirt were soaked with tears. Much like how Craig assumed he looked. Tweek started shaking.

“Did you hear any part of my phone call?”

“All of it,” he squeaked.

“Don’t you believe me?” Craig voice broke. He was fighting back tears.

Tweek hid his face in his hands. 

“Tweek?” Craig breathed. He grabbed the other boy’s wrists and pulled his hands from his face. “Tweek I swear…I swear on Stripe’s soul that I did not willfully cheat on you. I was long blacked out. I consented to nothing. I remember having a few drinks and then waking up the next day.”

Tears were rolling down Tweek’s cheeks, but he didn’t try to wipe them away. He maintained eye contact with Craig.

“I was so scared because I knew you and Clyde were supposed to be meeting me there and neither of you were there. I don’t know what happened. I went from waiting to waking up the next day. I later found out Clyde ended up chilling with Token. But when I was scared I called you. And…I didn’t know what happened until Kenny called to rip me a new one. I hadn’t even made it back to campus yet from your school. I sat in an ally by a dumpster and cried.” 

Neither said anything for a moment. Craig’s vision was blurry from tears, but he refused to look away from Tweek. “I just wanted to tell you what happened. Why didn’t you try? Why wouldn’t you hear what I had to say? You know I love you.”

Craig quickly released Tweek’s wrists and got up. He said his piece. All his cards were on the table. His heart was exposed.

He barely made it a step forward when he felt a pull on the back of his t-shirt. He didn’t turn around. A sob broke free. 

Tweek said nothing. He felt like he lost the ability to speak. The only thing he could do was grab a fistful of the back of Craig’s shirt. 

Minutes later Craig was able to speak again. “Fuck, it shouldn’t have happened. There is no one else I want to be with. I’m so sorry.” 

Tweek let go. He then dove into the back of Craig, wrapping his arms around him. His face was pressed to Craig’s back. 

“I miss you,” Craig whispered. 

“I should have answered your calls,” Tweek finally spoke. He gave Craig a light squeeze.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story. I was moving some files around and I found a rough draft of this. To be honest I had forgotten 100% about this. I really liked it so I decided to finish it. It's almost 2am now believe it or not as I'm writing this. Hopefully I didn't make any huge errors. I should wait until morning to reread and then post but I want to get it out now. Feels right.
> 
> Hopefully I can get back to my other fics soon. Lol. Anyways if you're looking for some cute fluff and funny antics go check out my other Creek fic Sweet Tooth. See ya!


End file.
